SARA Work Party 3
AGØH 2013
2020 S.A.R.A. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
2018 WØTBC Memorial Award-NØDRX
WØJH 2004
Fitzgerald Crew 2011
New Radio Gear For Some SARA Members!
SARA Does Skywarn
Split Rock Lighthouse 2012
SARA Work Party 1

SARA This Week March 13 – March 19


Technician License Classes continue through April 21

SARA is conducting an 8-week in-person Technician License class on Thursday evenings. Classes are held at the Stillwater Public Library from 6:00 PM to 7:50 PM. The current Technician Class license exam question pool expires June 30, 2022. The textbook is the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual 4th Edition, available online from arrl.org, ham radio retailers, and Amazon. If you know of someone interested in getting the amateur radio license – tell them about our class and have them attend the 1st session this Thursday or contact SARA’s Training & Education Chair Bob Jensen WØGAF at w0gaf at @ me dot com.


SARA White Elephant Exchange Party (SWEEP)

The March 12 meeting saw 25 attend in person and another joined in via Webex. It was great to see all of you in-person and even more so those whom we haven’t seen in 2 years. There were 35 White Elephant gifts on the table this year. We went through the 25 attendees once than did a random draw for the remaining 10. The Flying Ham found a new home over in Hudson this year with Scott W2SAD. Take good care of him, Scott, he’s had a long two years hanging out in my shack!


SARA POTA Challenge ’22

The Challenge is underway! February stats on the radioham.org website. Be sure to  check POTA spots regularly for activations.

The goal of this club activity is to encourage SARA members to get on the air; as a park activator, as a park hunter, or both. Awards are planned for both activators (most parks, activations, qsos & park to park) and hunters (most parks, most qsos). Contacts with all POTA stations count. And it doesn’t get any easier for hunter credits as only the activator needs to submit their activation log. Be sure to sign up for an account at parksontheair.com.

Bob WØGAF and Brian KB9TBB are leading the team putting together the SARA POTA Challenge. If you are planning to participate, drop them an email to let them know you are taking the challenge. Bob’s email is w0gaf at me dot com and Brian’s email is kb9tbb at arrl dot net.


Technical Topic Thursdays

Coming May 5th: Tim Duffy K3LR of DXEngineering for a Tech Topic Thursday on Coax.

The April 7th session may be on “Preparing for Portable Operating” as a group discussion project.

If you have a suggestion for a technical topic, contact Mike KFØCCL via email at kf0ccl at protonmail dot com. We are always looking for ideas for technical topics.


Metro Skywarn 2022 Training Schedule

The 2022 Metro Skywarn training schedule has been posted! Training will be online again this year. Metro Skywarn will be monitoring the pandemic and if it is safe to hold in person training, we will try to offer a couple of classes.

One registration per household (i.e. one Zoom license). If your household needs to use more than one Zoom license (i.e. multiple computers or tablets), you may sign up for more.
Classes will be 3 hours and PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! We will be sending the Zoom and registration links to those who are registered.

If you did not take training last year, you are due this year. If you took a class last year and still want to attend this year, you are welcome to join!

The calendar and list schedule can be found at https://metroskywarn.org/calendar/

The direct link to sign up is at:https://www.eventbrite.com/o/metro-skywarn-inc-7885991211


SARA’s Summer in the Parks

Starting May 12, the weekly Eyeball QSO Party moves outdoors for the summer months. We will visit different Stillwater-area parks throughout the summer with Eyeball QSOs, POTA activiations, hands-on radio, POTA portable operating tips and tricks, Mobile Station Show-n-tell, and more possibilities plus maybe a picnic or two. Valley View Park in Oak Park Heights will be a regular location, on the schedule for May 12 (New Ham Night), June 2, June 23, July 14, Aug 4, Aug 25 and Sept 15. Other weeks could see us at Lowell Park in downtown Stillwater along the St Croix National Wild & Scenic River, Afton State Park, along Brown’s Creek State Trail and Gateway State Trail for “Late Shift” POTA activations. Watch the SARA This Week bulletins for details each week.


SARA Connections

We offer multiple ways to stay connected with SARA. They include groups.io, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

SARA groups.io: (SARA members only)

SARA YouTube Playlists: (SARA members only)

SARA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/527705810939785

SARA on Instagram: sararadioham

SARA on Twitter: @saraW0JH


SARA Wearables

SARA members can order shirts, hats, and jackets emblazoned with the SARA club design. Order yours at www.hamthreads.com. Orders with the SARA club design qualify for the club discount.


This week’s SARA activities

SARA’s on-air and virtual activities are a great way to stay connected with others. These activities provide healthy social contact while maintaining personal distancing.

  • “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout Mar 13
    19:00 Central (00:00 UTC)  
    SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
    or connect via WIRES-X to the W0JH-Room 63969
    System Fusion digital voice hangout to expand use and familiarity with the digital voice capabilities available on the WØJH repeater.
  • SARA Top Band Ragchew
    Nightly
    20:00 Central (01:00 UTC)
    Frequency:  1.966 LSB +/- QRM
    Alternates: 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB)
  • SARA Monday Morning Ragchew Mar 14
    08:15 Central (14:00 UTC)
    Frequency:  3.856 LSB +/- QRM
  • SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Mar 15
    Time: 7:00 – ~8:00 pm Central (or until we finish!)
    SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
    The Tuesday evening on-air round robin ragchew
    An HF Afterglow follows with the Top Band Ragchew on 160 meters
  • SARA Virtual Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday March 16
    Time: 6:30 PM Central (23:30 UTC)
    SARA ZOOM Teleconference Room –
    Topic: SARA Virtual Board of Directors Meeting
    Time: Mar 16, 2022 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
  • SARA Technician License Class Session 3 Thursday March 17
    Time: 6:00 PM – 7:50 PM Central
    Stillwater Public Library
  • SARA Eyeball QSO Party Thursday March 17
    Time: 6:00 PM – 7:50 PM 
    Stillwater Public Library Conference Room